UPDATED THURSDAY MORNING: Remembering Bud Reynolds, local 3yo’s in action Saturday
**BREAKING NEWS – WOODBINE PRESS CONFERENCE THURSDAY 10 A.M.
Thoroughblog will be there and set to report later today on deals with OLG and province…
The Ontario Government and Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG), owners of Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto and Mohawk Racecourse in Campbellville, announced a deal that will allow WEG to continue to host thoroughbred and standardbred racing in 2013 and 2014.
WEG, which is known for its world class racing and facilities, have negotiated a short term deal with the Ontario Government. This deal will ensure that there is racing at WEG in 2013 and 2014 while a more sustainable and long term racing model is negotiated between WEG and the Province.
While the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) applauds the efforts of those involved in this short term agreement, OHRIA will remain vigilant in pursuing an agreement with the new Premier of Ontario and OMAFRA to ensure a sustainable horse racing and breeding industry for the long term. “OHRIA thanks Minister McMeekin and the OMAFRA panel; Elmer Buchanan, John Snobelen and John Wilkinson, and from WEG Jim Lawson and Nick Eaves, for their efforts,” commented OHRIA President, Sue Leslie, “While this announcement ensures racing for the next two years at WEG, it does not deal with the five year breeding cycle and the investments made by breeders, horse owners, and race track operators all across this Province. Horse racing must be integrated into the OLG’s overall gaming strategy in order for the industry to remain sustainable.”
In 2012, the OLG implemented a Modernization Plan which includes the building of 29 new casinos in the Province while terminating the highly successful Slots at Racetracks Program and excluding horseracing from the Province’s overall gaming strategy.
Initiated in 1998, the Slots at Racetracks (SAR) Program was a partnership between the horse racing industry, the OLG and the racetrack’s host municipalities. For more than a decade, this Program has been a remarkable source of revenue for the Province with more than $9 billion (since 2001) in revenue being generated for the Province and used to build hospitals, community centers, as well as infrastructure and donations to community organizations, mainly in rural areas. Under the SAR Program the Province received 75% of slots revenue, the horse racing industry received a 20% share of the slots revenue, a figure which was negotiated to offset the cannibalization of the industry’s wagering dollar to the slots, and the municipality where the racetracks are located received a 5% share of the slots revenue.
Since 1998, the $2 billion horse racing industry, which employs more than 55,000 Ontarians has faced increased competition for its wagering dollar from OLG’s expansion of its casinos, lotteries and slots facilities. With the SAR Program ending on March 31, 2013, the horse racing industry is facing an uncertain future while OLG continues to expand its operations in direct competition with the horse racing industry and excluding it from its overall gaming strategy.
For more information on the Ontario horse racing industry, the Slots at Racetracks Program and the proposed OMAFRA Sustainability Model please visit www.value4money.ca
Woodbine Entertainment Group Reaches Agreement With Province
Toronto, January 23, 2013 – Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) today confirmed that it has reached an agreement in principle with the Province which ensures the continuation of live horse racing at Woodbine and Mohawk Racetracks for the next two years.
“This long-awaited agreement offers stability while WEG and our partners in horse racing work with government towards a long-term sustainability solution,” said Jim Lawson, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Woodbine Entertainment Group. “It’s clear to us that this is only a short-term fix, and sustainability can only be achieved by the integration of horse racing into the province’s gaming strategy. As the largest operator of horse racing in Canada, WEG is committed to working with the government to achieve this critical outcome.”
Lawson noted that horse racing has a long and important history in Ontario, and that in recent years the industry has established a business model – and a level of racing excellence – recognized the world over. “Our challenge is to now build a new, sustainable model for horse racing in Ontario that continues to set the standard internationally. I’m confident that working with our partners in industry and government, we can achieve that goal. Our industry deserves nothing less.”
Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) is a not-for-profit Corporation without shareholders. WEG is largest horse racing operator in Canada offering world class horse racing at both Woodbine (Toronto) and Mohawk (Milton) racetracks. WEG operates off-track wagering operations through its “Champions” teletheatre network, which include WEGZ Stadium Bar in Vaughan, Turf Lounge in downtown Toronto and Greenwood in the Beach area of Toronto. WEG also operates Horse Player Interactive and HPItv.
In other news:
2012 Sovereign Award Finalists
(in alphabetical order)
Two-Year-Old Filly
Nipissing (Niigon)
Spring Venture (Spring At Last)
Spring in the Air (Spring At Last)
Two-Year-Old Male
Dynamic Sky (Sky Mesa)
River Seven (Johannesburg)
Uncaptured (Lion Heart)
Three-Year-Old Filly
Dixie Strike (Dixie Union)
Evelyn’s Dancer (Songandaprayer)
Irish Mission (Giant’s Causeway)
Three-Year-Old Male
Delegation (Speightstown)
Strait of Dover (English Channel)
Toccetive (Toccet)
Older Female
Magic Broomstick (More Than Ready)
Roxy Gap (Indian Charlie)
Stars to Shine (Tale of the Cat)
Older Male
Hunters Bay (Ghostzapper)
Pender Harbour (Philanthropist)
Taylor Said (Stephanotis)
Turf Male
Forte Dei Marmi (GB) (Selkirk)
Hunters Bay (Ghostzapper)
Riding the River (Wiseman’s Ferry)
Female Sprinter
Atlantic Hurricane (Halo’s Image)
Magic Broomstick (More Than Ready)
Roxy Gap (Indian Charlie)
Male Sprinter
Bear Tough Tiger (Roar of the Tiger)
Essence Hit Man (Speightstown)
Taylor Said (Stephanotis)
Outstanding Broodmare
Captivating (Arch) (dam of Uncaptured)
Misty Mission (Miswaki) (dam of Irish Mission)
Uproar (Hail the Ruckus) (dam of Pender Harbour)
Outstanding Breeder
Adena Springs, William D Graham, Sam-Son Farms
Outstanding Owner
Melnyk Racing Stables Inc, NA Thoroughbred Horse Company Inc,
John C Oxley
Outstanding Trainer
Reade Baker, Mark Casse, Troy Taylor
Outstanding Apprentice Jockey
Skye Chernetz, Jennifer Reid, Scott Williams
Outstanding Jockey
Luis Contreras, Eurico Da Silva, Patrick Husbands
ONTARIO RACING REMEMBERS BUD REYNOLDS
Bud Reynolds (beside groom at horse’s head) was a very popular owner.
Michael Burns photos from John Ross website
Bud Reynolds was truly one of the good people in horse racing. He loved his horses and the racing game. He loved to tell stories of his horse names to friends and he was very generous and always funny.
I remember his longtime trainer John Ross telling me years ago that there was nothing he wanted more in the world than to win the Queen’s Plate for Bud and his wife Jackie. Their Jam Jar has been in the game for many years and they supported the local industry.
From JACKNOWS, to DON’T TELL JAC, Reynolds named a lot of horses after his wife. He had other funny names like KWIK COSTA, and ARE WE EVEN YET.
His top horses included SHAWS CREEK, who won the Plate Trial. Named for a road near their home in Caledon, Shaws Creek was later retired to be a stable pony.
Jam Jar Racing has recorded 155 career wins, including 13 stakes.
Suddenly at his home in Caledon on Saturday, January 19, 2013 in his 80th year; beloved husband of Jackie; loving father of Beth Caravaggio (Enio), Janet Peters (Armando) and Bruce (Karla); cherished grandfather of Jennifer, Jonathan, Duncan (Gina), Ronan and Hayden; also missed by his brother-in-law Bob Morgan. Bud will be missed by other relatives and friends.
At Bud’s request, no service will be held.
Arrangements entrusted to Dods & McNair Funeral Home & Chapel, Orangeville (519-941-1392).
Donations in memory of Bud may be made to a charity of your choice.
A tree will be planted in memory of Bud in the Dods & McNair Memorial Forest at the Island Lake Conservation Area, Orangeville. A dedication service will be held on Sunday, September 8, 2013 at 2:30 p.m.
CANADIAN OWNED CLEARLY NOW TAKES ON BOBBY IN THE BULL
Uphill Stables’ (Leonard Zenith et al) CLEARLY NOW, a Kentucky bred by Horse Greeley, will take on champion SHANGHAI BOBBY in Saturday’s Holy Bull Stakes. More to come.
Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 5:05 p.m. EST
HOLY BULL S.-GIII, $400,000, 3yo, 1 1/16m
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Shanghai Bobby K Harlan’s Holiday Napravnik Pletcher 122
2 Frac Daddy K Scat Daddy Cohen McPeek 116
3 Clearly Now K Horse Greeley Saez Lynch 116
4 Bern Identity K Bernstein Lopez Breen 122
5 Sr. Quisqueyano Exclusive Quality Rosario Olivares 120
6 Dewey Square Bernardini Lanerie Romans 116
7 Itsmyluckyday K Lawyer Ron Trujillo Plesa Jr 120
8 Tulira Castle War Pass Castellano DiVito 116
9 Fredericksburg Speightstown Velazquez Matz 116
10 Joshua’s Comprise Comprise D’meaux Rose 116
TOP WOODBINE 2YO FILLY and Husbands try Grade 2
Saturday, Gulfstream Park, post time: 4:05 p.m. EST
FORWARD GAL S.-GII, $200,000, 3yo, f, 7f
PP HORSE SIRE JOCKEY TRAINER WT
1 Ashlee’s Princess Put It Back Cruz Dwoskin 116
2 Fusaichiswonderful K Fusaichi Pegasus Rosario Pletcher 122
3 My Happy Face Tiz Wonderful Castellano Rodriguez 116
4 Spring Venture Spring At Last Husbands Casse 120
5 Pow Wow Wow Indian Charlie Lezcano Zito 116
6 Kauai Katie K Malibu Moon Velazquez Pletcher 120
DOWN TO THE WIRE
Liberal convention this weekend
(from Standardbred Canada) As the Liberal Party will elect its next leader amid pledges to reconnect with Rural Ontario, Ontario horse racing is urged to show support for the industry at the 2013 Liberal leadership convention.
“With 55,000 lives in the balance, we need to show the newly-elected Premier how important our industry is,” said driver Anthony MacDonald. “Everyday 600,000 Ontarians wake up jobless. There is no excuse to make it 655,000.
“This is a great industry full of hard-working people who were confident that their livelihoods were secure, their sons and daughters were going to school and coming home to employed, functioning families. Why put more hard working Ontarians out of work?”
The leadership convention runs from January 25-27 at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Ont.
MGM AND ITS GRANDIOSE CASINO PLAN
MGM Grand Resorts International Chairman and CEO Jim Murren sat down for an interview with Global Television on Tuesday, January 22 in advance of his company’s announced proposal to bring a full-blown casino expansion to the City of Toronto.
http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/1-22-13/mgm-head-grilled-over-casino-proposal.html
ORC urges vigilance on care for race horses in extreme weather
The Ontario Racing Commission (ORC) reminds all members of the racing community to be on the alert and take extra care of their horses in cold weather. ORC Official Veterinarians and racing officials at all racetracks will remind participants to take the necessary steps to protect the animals.
The protection of the health and welfare of the horse is of paramount concern to the ORC and to members of the racing community. An effort to monitor the horse in weather extremes is in keeping with this mandate. http://www.ontarioracingcommission.com/whatsnew.aspx?id=888
